Survive and Thrive
The School Leader During a National Crisis...Five Tips to Help You 
Emerge a Stronger Leader

Copyright to Stronge & Associates Educational Consulting, LLC, 2020
Permission to use this material within the recipient schools is granted with the requirement that the copyright notice is included.

 

There will be a few times in life when you stand at a precipice…
when you know there will forever be a before and an after.  
~ Justin Chen, North of Beautiful

As school leaders, each of us undoubtedly has led our organization through calm seas when the waters were smooth and all was well. We also learned how to keep a steady hand-on-helm when the skies turned gray and the waters became choppy.  
 
And now we find ourselves in uncharted waters trying to maintain stability in the midst of a situation characterized by unprecedented challenges. The essential question is how do we, as leaders, navigate during times like these? How do we continue to provide what we always have assured for our students, staff and families – a safe harbor? And importantly, is it possible for school leaders to thrive as well as survive this current crisis? 

1. Take Care of Yourself: Back in the 90’s Roland Barth would remind school leaders of the airline announcement in which passengers are directed – in the event of an emergency – to affix their oxygen mask before helping others. The leader will be of no service to his or her school community if his capacity to lead is compromised by less than a full oxygen mask. Take care of yourself. Try to maintain the activities that keep you strong and healthy – exercise, listen to music you love, read literature that engages you, get fresh air, do things with your family you usually don’t have time to do…re-center yourself and find the internal quiet.  Focus on not letting your emotions drag you down. And remember: Unless you give to yourself, you will have nothing to give to others.

2. Refocus Your Mission: Recall what drew you to school leadership in the first place. Think about the good times and the successes you have shared with your school community and assure yourself these kinds of experiences are just on hold; the joy of the schoolhouse will come to life again. The work you do is very important work – don’t lose your focus on why you are there.  Let your mission guide you and be a beacon of hope.

3. Communicate with Families: Communication is always a key part of our work and is even more fundamental during a crisis. Families need to hear from you, and they are looking to you for support and encouragement. Maybe you can set up a regular time each week where families know they will hear from you. Send a weekly, short newsletter or message to all staff and families. Support local guidelines and remind families of what is expected of them during this time. Encourage them to host virtual birthday parties and share ideas that will enrich their time together. Suggest taking virtual tours of the Louvre in Paris using YouTube, exploring the city of Rome using Google Earth, or learning to create digital art with computer applications. Tell families how proud you are of the teachers, educational specialists, and support staff who are putting forth great effort to make all of this work. Thank parents for their part in making this time successful for their children’s learning. Always be honest, but positive, with news you share. At the same time, keep your expectations high and be bold. 

4. Stay Connected:  Commend the great efforts of teachers and staff.  Teachers, educational specialists, and support staff are making a huge effort to do something that is unprecedented – and that is to move PK-12+ learning out of the brick and mortar of the schoolhouse to a virtual setting. Keep in touch with words of appreciation and support. Inquire about their health and well-being and about the well-being of their families. Send inspirational quotes and share appropriate humor. Thank them for their hard work and resiliency. Tell them that you look forward to bringing the “family” together again! Don’t underestimate the power your positive attitude can have on others.
 
Thank the counselors and social workers who are in daily contact with parents of children with severe disabilities to encourage and support them as they care for their children at home.  Take a minute to thank a delivery person, a service provider, or anyone who is on the job and doing what they can to sort of keep things going. They have become our unsung heroes and deserve our greatest appreciation.  Reach out to administrative colleagues. Keep in touch with the people who keep you going during the good times. Find someone with whom you can be candid to share your fears and frustrations. Set up a virtual administrative meeting to share with each other how things are going and offer support and encouragement.

5. Strive to Make this Your Finest Hour:  Think about where you want to be as a leader when this is behind us. How do you want people to remember your leadership during this crisis? What are you learning that will help you emerge a stronger leader?  Consider keeping a journal to document how you leaned into this crisis and came out the “other side” a stronger leader.